Resident Physician Leave of Absence Policy

DEPT: MEDICAL EDUCATION
POLICY #: 8240.03

GOAL

To provide leaves of absence to Residents consistent with their status as employees of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital (“SBCH”), while complying with the requirements of the Specialty Board governing program in which the Resident is enrolled consistent with their status as students.

POLICY

1. SBCH provides all employees with leaves as required by law. SBCH maintains separate leave of absence policies that are available to employees on the employee portal. Residents are eligible for all leaves of absence on the same terms as other employees of SBCH. However, the Specialty Boards governing the various programs impose limitations on the total amount of time that may be missed due to a leave of absence, and in some cases require that the Residency be extended by a like amount of time to make up for the time lost while on leave. SBCH will comply with all such limitations imposed by the Specialty Boards. Of note, Residents will be provided with a minimum of one week of paid time off reserved for use apart from the first six weeks of the first approved medical, parental, or caregiver leave(s) of absence taken.

2. A resident desiring a leave of absence should first determine whether SBCH has a policy under which the Resident might qualify for a leave. SBCH leave of absence policies are available on the employee portal. The Human Resources Department is available for consultation and assistance to Residents interested in locating the SBCH leave policy that would be applicable to the Resident’s specific situation.

A) If there is an SBCH policy under which the Resident would qualify for a leave of absence, it is the responsibility of the Resident to comply with the requirements set forth in that policy to apply for a leave thereunder. The Human Resources Department is available to assist the Resident with the application process. SBCH maintains leave of absence policies covering medical leaves, pregnancy leaves, leaves to care for ill family members, parental leaves, military leaves, personal leaves, children’s school activity leaves, domestic violence leaves, crime victim leaves, jury leaves, witness leaves and a variety of other leaves as required by law and otherwise.

3. When the application for a leave has been completed, the Resident, the Human Resources Department and the Director of the program in which the Resident is participating must coordinate to determine the effect that the proposed leave will have on the Resident’s status within the program.

4. Leaves of absence and vacation may be granted to residents at the discretion of the program director in accordance with Cottage Health policies and the policy of the specific specialty board for that resident. Depending on the length of absence granted, the required period of graduate medical education may be extended accordingly.

  • Radiology Residents are governed by the American Board of Radiology at www.theabr.org
  • Surgical Residents are governed by the American Board of Surgery at www.absurgery.org
  • Internal Medicine Residents are governed by the American Board of Internal Medicine at www.abim.org
  • Pediatrics Residents are governed by the American Board of Pediatrics at www.abp.org

5. Surgical Residents are governed by the following requirement of the American Board of Surgery: The American Board of Surgery will accept 46 weeks of training in one of the first three years of residency and 46 weeks of training in one of the last two years, for a total of 142 weeks in the first three years and 94 weeks in the last two years. The complete text of the American Board of Surgery requirements regarding making up time missed due to leave of absence are available at www.absurgery.org.

6. Internal Medicine Residents are governed by the following requirement of the American Board of Internal Medicine: The 36 months of full-time medical residency education…may include up to three months of leave for vacation time, parental leave, or illness. Vacation or other leave cannot be forfeited to reduce training time. The complete text of the American Board of Internal Medicine requirements regarding making up time missed due to leave of absence are available at www.abim.org.

7. It is the responsibility of the Program Director to provide the Resident with a written confirmation of the effect the leave of absence will have on the Resident’s status in the program, including whether the Resident’s participation in the program will be extended and by how long. No particular form is mandated for this communication from the Program Director to the Resident, and it is possible that this communication will take place after the Resident has already begun the leave of absence.

COTTAGE HEALTH POLICY

Original Policy Effective Date: 7/1992
Last Review Date: 1/2024
Last Revision Date: 4/2022
Owner Title: Vice President Medical Affairs (VPMA)
Owner Approval Date: 1/2024
Committee Approval: Graduate Medical Education (GMEC)
Committee Approval Dates: 1/2024
VP Approval: CMO/VPMA
VP Approval Date: 1/2024